Salt is an ancient town in Northern Jordan; it was once the capital of the territory.

Understand

Historical As Salt

Salt, or As-Salt or sometimes Al-Salt, was the regional capital under the Ottomans. When Amman was chosen as the capital of Transjordan, Salt remained a crowded town full of old buildings and did not modernise as Amman did.

In 2021 the town was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Get in

By bus

Minibuses come and go from Amman.

Get around

By car

If driving, parking is difficult in the narrow streets and you might have to park dangerously like the locals do. There are car parks close to the bus station at the south edge of the old town that might be the best option.

On foot

Salt's historical core is small and is easy to walk around. The area between the main square (location of the museum) and Maydan St, the main road, is the primary place for walking, plus there are stairs from the main square that go up the hill past the English Hospital.

See

• 1 Abu Jabar House, opposite main square. This house has been restored as a museum about the history of Salt. Also has a tea house with a balcony overlooking the town. Free. 
• 2 Salt Archaeological Museum. (updated Sep 2018)
• 3 As-Salt castle. (updated Sep 2018)

Buy

Hamman Street is the best-preserved bazaar street in Salt, running from the main square down to Maydan St. The products are modern (except for some food stores) but the buildings are old and beautiful.

Eat

• 1 Al Salaam, Maydan St. Easy to spot as it may have the only English sign along this street, but it is an excellent local chicken shop where the owner speaks some English. Chicken, grilled vegetables, pickles, bread, hommus and a drink. Full menu for 3.5 JD. 

Sleep

• 1 Beit Aziz (بيت عزيز), ☏ +962 7 9953 5900. (updated Feb 2019)